Primus Offers Global VoIP

Primus Telecommunications Group said it will take advantage of its global voice network and roll out VoIP services for the enterprise, consumers, and resellers.

"VoIP is an international product we can deploy anywhere at anytime," said Doug Weeks vice president of Primus's U.S. marketing. "VoIP brings down borders." Weeks noted that the $1.3 billion company has already deployed some "next-generation VoIP telecommunications technology in over 125 countries."

The firm has been offering bundled VoIP products in Canada, India, and Puerto Rico for several months. Now it is offering a global reseller program. "It's a turnkey system," said Weeks. "It allows anyone globally to get into selling VoIP in two days."

The offering gives broadband service providers, broadcast cable firms, and other telecom service providers the capability of selling their own private-label VoIP service. The reseller product includes end-user billing capability and Web-based customer management functionality. He said the reseller offering essentially has two parts--a product that takes advantage of Primus's underlying back-office network systems for the transmission of Web calls, and a product envelope that facilities the offering of a privately branded VoIP service.

Weeks said that although Primus is a relatively new company--it was launched in 1994--it has been offering VoIP for more than three years to some business and consumer customers. Because the firm carried more than one billion voice minutes across its networks in 2003, Primus thought VoIP would be a natural fit for its global networks.Weeks said Primus is currently in beta testing of its enterprise VoIP systems.

Later this year, the company plans to introduce additional VoIP service bundles in global markets, including the U.S. Primus said the new products will address the specific needs of users in different markets, and indicating this would include inexpensive alternatives to services provided by traditional telephone companies.